Children's Home run by Partners in Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC441717 1 SC441717 Registered provider: Partners in Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private provider and provides care for up to four children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2018.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC441717 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 17/08/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/06/2019 Full Good 08/02/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC441717 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children currently living at the home have lived here for long periods of time and are happy, settled and making good progress. They benefit from the care and support of staff who have their best interests at heart. Positive relationships based on mutual respect are at the core of care practice. This was evident throughout the inspection, with children making comments such as ‘living in this home is not much different to living in a family home’ and ‘staff are friendly, and I always feel that they care’. The staff demonstrate a good understanding of each child’s needs. These are captured in records that are regularly updated and provide a good insight into children’s individual behaviours, risks and vulnerabilities. There is a need for the manager to ensure that the placing authority provides a copy of the care orders for two of the children. Staff are interested in what children have to say and provide opportunities for them

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

to contribute to and influence their plans. A social worker said, ‘[Name of child] looks the most at home, calm and settled than I have ever seen him before. He is happy at the home and has expressed a wish to remain there long term, which we are looking to confirm.’ Two of the three children are doing well in school. Levels of attendance are high, and they are making good progress relative to their ability and understanding. For one child, attendance is selective and refusals to attend are a regular occurrence. The manager is working closely with the child’s school to explore and offer various learning opportunities. For example, during a day of absence, the child took part in first-aid training with staff, which resulted in the child receiving an accredited award. Children are given lots of opportunities to have fun, try new things and pursue their hobbies and interests. They took pleasure in telling the inspector about a recent

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

holiday, going to boxing club and playing football and ice hockey for teams in the community. Time spent away from staff is risk-assessed and based on trust earned. Two children regularly spend time with their friends who live in the local area. The manager recognises that she has been over-protective of the third child. This has limited the child’s opportunities to have the same experiences as his peers, which is a necessary feature of any child’s social development. Children are given good support to help keep in touch with the important people in their lives. For some children, this opportunity is limited. In these instances, staff explore and promote every opportunity for children to have relationships outside the home. For example, using an ex-member of staff as a support mentor for one child has provided the child with a positive role model. Overall, the home is decorated and furnished to a good standard. It has the feel of a

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

family home, where children were seen to be relaxed and at ease. Some minor Inspection report for children’s home: SC441717 4 repairs are outstanding throughout the home and detract from what is a generally homely environment.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children told the inspector that they feel safe. Risk-management plans are detailed and consider past and present risk-taking behaviours. Although risk-taking behaviour is infrequent, staff take time to talk to children about how to keep themselves safe, helping them understand and navigate risks around, for example, staying safe in the community and using social media. The number of incidents of children going missing from home is low, and the period of time that they are absent for is relatively short. When children do go missing, staff search the local area, contact friends, and try to keep in touch with the missing child. Staff appropriately liaise with other agencies, such as the police. The manager and staff are good role models for the children. They provide children with age-appropriate boundaries that are respected and followed most of the time. When children make mistakes, these are addressed using negotiation and

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

compromise. As a result, the use of negative consequences is rare and physical restraint has not been necessary since the last inspection. Staff know the children well. They recognise when children may be struggling and are quick to offer support that encourages them to understand and regain control of their emotions. One child said, ‘Staff are always there for me. They know how to respond and make me feel better. They don’t fuss but are always interested in finding out what I need and at my own pace.’ A failure to report an incident of concern has been used as a learning exercise. Overall, this has resulted in managers and staff having a better understanding of their safeguarding roles and responsibilities. This is evident in the action that has been taken when children have made allegations, disclosures or complaints of a safeguarding nature. However, in a small number of cases, it is unclear whether

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

investigations by external professionals are complete and a satisfactory outcome has been reached. There is no evidence that this inaction by the manager has compromised the safety of the child in question. Children are protected by a range of health and safety risk assessments and routine checks. However, outstanding repairs to a designated fire door and propping fire doors open for the purpose of supervision have the potential to compromise children’s safety.

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good

The home is run by an experienced and child-focused registered manager. Despite being registered since 2018, she has not yet completed the Level 5 Diploma. It is fair to say that staffing has been a significant challenge. There is strength in the core staff team and staff have shown commitment by working flexibly to cover extra shifts. Agency staff have been used as additional cover and there have been Inspection report for children’s home: SC441717 5 occasions when the number of agency staff on shift has exceeded 50%. However, most of these occasions have involved agency workers who have worked frequently in the home and have come to play a significant role in the children’s lives. At the time of the inspection, three of these agency workers had been recruited into permanent positions, leaving the home without vacancies. Staff talk with enthusiasm about their work and are highly complimentary about how

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good

the registered manager leads by example and is always there for them and the children. However, the need for the manager to cover shifts has meant that some staff have not had regular formal supervision for some time and annual appraisals are overdue. Staff have access to a good range of mandatory and needs-led training. As staffing becomes more stable, there is an improved focus on ensuring that staff complete the training necessary for their roles. This includes training in the therapeutic model that has been adopted throughout the organisation. The manager has a good understanding of what the home does well and is realistic about what she has achieved over recent months. She takes responsibility when things go wrong and is eager to learn from and address shortfalls. This includes taking action to address the four requirements from the last inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: SC441717 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(1) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that the damaged fire door is quickly repaired, and that staff do not prop open any designated fire door. 29 September 2022

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Requirement Due date

A person may only manage a children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

having regard to the size of the home, its statement of purpose, and the number and needs (including any needs arising from any disability) of the children—

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Requirement Due date

the person has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (1)(b)(i), a person has the appropriate experience and qualification if the person has—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 5 Diploma”); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered provider considers to be equivalent to the Level 5 Diploma. (Regulation 28 (1)(b)(i) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered manager must ensure that they complete the Level 5 Diploma without further delay. 29 September 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— 29 September 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC441717 7 receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which—

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Requirement Due date

sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect. (Regulation 34 (1)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered manager must ensure that any allegations and safeguarding concerns are managed to the point of conclusion and that they are aware of and able to inform the child of the outcome of any investigation. 29 September 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child. (Regulation 36 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that children’s case records include a copy of each child’s care order. 29 September 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the house is maintained to a good standard and that all outstanding damage is repaired to a good standard. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that children are supported to build friendships with other children and that they are given the opportunity to have risk-assessed independent time in the community. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 38, paragraph 8.7)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Inspection report for children’s home: SC441717 8 Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report for children’s home: SC441717 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Partners in Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 The Calls, Leeds LS2 7JU

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Inspector

Paul Scott, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC441717 10 to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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